T wall for Christmas?

Wondering if it's worth flying out to Chattanooga from Colorado for 5 days of climbing around Christmas...risky, probable? Never been, Thanks! We have heard nothing but good things about Tennessee climbing out here!!

Not risky at all and so worth it. I've climbed shirtless there in the dead of winter. Might be a little busy.. but there's plenty of crack to go around even on the busiest of days. I should be heading up there soon myself..

It depends.

I've climbed at TWall around Christmas and in January, with ice on some routes and because of the orientation if it's 40F or more, sunny with little or no wind then it can be quite pleasant.

However it is winter in Tennessee. There could be a bad storm (ice mostly), below freezing temps, cloudy, drizzly. Not so fun.

There are lots of area farther south that you could go to then with possibly better conditions: Jamestown, Steele, Yellow Bluff, ... although the orientation may not be as good as TWall.

Rumbling Bald in NC could be good that time of year. Great thing about that place is that if it's too cold to climb, there is world class bouldering all along the approach trail, and there will definitely be nice locals there who will let you join in and use their pads.

Asheville is easy to fly into as well and you can find cheap houses or hotel rooms that time of year.

There is always a chance of getting stormed out in December, but it's probably a much smaller chance than say the Creek.

I agree with Thierry. It could go either way! T-Wall can be very warm that time of year but also rainy/icy. I have spent lots of time there in the winter and have had 50/50 luck.

Are you planning on camping? I never liked the camping at the parking lot. Broken glass from all the break-ins. Maybe someone knows of the status of camping there now and if it is less sketchy?

Thanks for the info!!

Actually I will be with my girl friend so was thinking of just getting a room in Chattanooga (not camping) and renting a car, so we would have some flexibility to go other places if need be. In case of bad weather, is Chattanooga a cool place to hang...or maybe we can drive 2 hours to Nashville?

Yea, do it! I'm planning to do the opposite and visit Colorado roughly between xmas and new years. I'd check out TWall, and maybe even take a trip out to the Obed. There are tons of hidden spots around Chatt that you would need a guide to find. (Lots of crisscrossing trails, no easy directions, access issues, ect.) Castle Rock is pretty cool too if you want to get on some epic sport.

Perhaps kind of risky... all depends on the weather. I've definitely climbed there plenty in December, January and February, but I went to school in the area and had the luxury of picking and choosing sunny dry weekends. If the sun's out and the rock's dry, winter rock climbing at the T Wall is hard to beat. Never had too much experience with wind there, but I've comfortably climbed there plenty of days when temps were in the 30s.
As far as your other question, I would say Chattanooga is a pretty kick ass place to hang out if the weather's bad. Fun bar scene (also a plus since you'll be there in the season of short days!), nice coffee shops that don't mind you suckin' around for hours reading a book, all the other amenities of city life...

When in Chattanooga, you can stay at the Crash Pad (local hostel). You can get a private room and hang out with other climbers. They have tons of beta on T-Wall, other climbing areas, and can point you in the right direction for fun things to do during down/rest time.

CraigS. wrote:When in Chattanooga, you can stay at the Crash Pad (local hostel). You can get a private room and hang out with other climbers. They have tons of beta on T-Wall, other climbing areas, and can point you in the right direction for fun things to do during down/rest time.

nope, T Wall is in Texas. You should go there

American Dankster wrote:nope, T Wall is in Texas. You should go there

Haha, you guys are trolling this guy hard. I think Amir would love to climb at Deep Creek and Tennessee Wall. Will, do you know him? He's AMGA in Boulder. Amir, if you can climb 5.13, there are a ton of amazing things to see in TN.

ChillFancy wrote:Amir, if you can climb 5.13, there are a ton of amazing things to see in TN.

You must have missed the "No Boulderites" sign in chattown

American Dankster wrote:You must have missed the "No Boulderites" sign in chattown

Bellingham

willeslinger wrote:That makes absolutely no sense to me, 5.11 is the money grade at t wall

willeslinger should have wrote:That makes perfectly good sense to me, 13a is the money grade at t wall